Starbucks strikes a Deal with African-American Men Arrested for Trespassing

After being publicly discredited for the April 12 incident involving two African-America men, Starbucks has recently announced that both parties reached a settlement. As part of the deal, the company offered to pay an undisclosed sum and to put them through University.

Starbucks Organizes Racial Discrimination Classes Following Incident

On the 12th of April 23-year-old Donte Robinson and Rashon Nelson, also 23, were forcibly removed from the Philadelphia Starbucks after a manager called the authorities. At that time, the two African-American men were charged with trespassing, but the charged were later expunged.

During a recent interview, the men declared that the managers treated them with disrespect and asked them to leave even after they’ve explained that they were waiting for a third person to secure a business transaction.

After facing a severe backlash from its fans who threatened to disrupt company operations, Starbucks decides to make amends. The first step taken by the company was to temporarily close 8,000 stores across the country in order to hold a special discrimination course. On the 29th of May, over 175,000 Starbucks employees took part in the unconscious bias class.

The court ruled in favor of Robison and Nelson. As a result, the company was ordered to pay them an undisclosed sum. More than that, in order to make amends, Starbucks offered to pay the men’s University tuitions through a program normally reserved for company employees.

Nelson and Robinson were also enrolled by the authorities in a $200,000 program designed for aspiring entrepreneurs.

Conclusion

Even Richard Ross, the Philadelphia Police Commissioner, sided with the two African-American men after he initially declared that the arresting officer operated within the protocol.

Following the April 12 incident, Eric Holder, the former Attorney General, invited Robinson and Nelson to discuss their experience and share their insight in order to raise awareness.